The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-16


1t must be understood that this building
is not constructed altogether for a post office,
nor altogether for the city OF Savannah.
Thirty odd counties of the Southern district
of Georgia, whose litigated suits will be de-
teTmined there, have u decided interest In It's
suitable location. 1t is true there may be
some inconvenience occasionally to those
who in the business portions of the town
have occasion to call in person at the post
office. The bulk of the mail, however, is
delivered by the letter carriers, and say
with all respect that it is far better for indi .
viduals to be occasionally Inconvenience
than for the administration of justice i'll the
courts, where the most vital matters are de-
termined, to be hampered by location on
narrow and noisy streets, where it is with
difficulty that either witnesses or counsel can
| be heard, and | say, with all due respect to
| gentlemen who aided in that common enter
prise, that since Savannah already had
public building, but for the testimony and
active interposition Of the Judges, it would
not have obtained the appropriation.
On the barracks lot, beautiful structure,
such as the gifted Supervising Architect
and his accomplished assistants will design,
would be not only an inestimable convent
ence. but an architectural adornment which
would wonderfully enhance the present
loveliness Of the Forest City. 1t would be
stationed at the intersection of two great
thoroughfares, both spacious, ample and
| quiet There are more strangers, perhaps,
on Liberty and Bull streets during the year
| than on all the other streets in Savannah
put together. The one is the connecting
route between the two great railway depots
| of the city, the other is the fashionable
promenade, along whose shady avenues
semi-annually streams a current of energy,
wealth and fashion, culture and learning,
all the while in increasing volume, seeking
comfort, health and pleasure in the far
South.
If, at the intersection of these streets the
artistic conception and slIillful design of the
Architect PLACES a magnificent structure
whose graceful proportions are only rivalled
| by its solidity and suggestions of usefulness,
| the strangers within your gates, when they
| turn homeward, will connect with their
| recollections of your arboreal treasures,
| your fountains and your statuary the dis
| tinct and pleasing remembrance OF the
| splendid edifice, and with it will hold the
associated thought, ''these are people of
progress, they are advancing, they are
prosperous and Savannah will not only
enjoy the benefits of the uses of the struc-
| ture itself, but will derive therefrom benefits
which cannot be estimated but which will
be as pleasant and profitable as they will be
| enduring.
The objection which has been made that
crowds of disreputable people gather about
| the United States Court rooms is simply I'M
| true in point of fact, as everyone who is in
| formed upon the subject well knows. There
| is nothing in the character of the litigation
in the Federal Courts to attract the habitual
idler or the thoughtless. The audiences in
| the court room year in and year out, do
not average daily a dozen persons. The
| criminal business of the court is exceedingly
small. 1t is mainly engaged in the trial of
| important civil causes, equity, ejectment,
admiralty and the like, and if there be
| Objectionable persons who attend sessions of
the courts from curiosity, that attribute
would not be sufficiently strong, think, to
carry them so far from their accustomed
| hauntS Instead of detracting from the
beauties of the fashionable promenade,
therefore, the public building would add to
them; and if the post Office should be prop
| erly designed for such purposes, the location
| there would be very great convenience to
many who do not care to go for their mails
through the crowded business streets.
| 1t is true there are objections to the loca-
ton, but in the gentle words of old Sir
Roger De Coverley, "Much can be said ON
| both Sides Much has been said on both
sides, and the accomplished Cabinet officer
of an administration which, it must be adj
| mitted is in strong sympathy with all fair
| interests of your beautiful Southern city,
and earnestly anxious for its advancement,
having heard, has decided the question.
| Is it not possible to lay aside the differ
ences of the hour and accept his high and
| Intelligent abitrament! l do profoundly
hope that gentlemen who have differed
about this matter, not because of anything
| have said, but because it
is right and meritorious, with unse6sh pub
| lie spirit TO sink personal conSidera-
| tions for public considerations; because the
| delay is distressing and most hazardous; be-
| cause public officials are presumed to do
| their duty, and because in the light of that
presumption we are bound to believe they
| have acted for the best interests of all con-
| cerned will adjust their differences. Is
| it not possible to avoid litigation about this
| grave matter of public concern and with
generous public spirit to accept the situa-
| ton and to let the government purchase the
title and proceed, as early as may be posi-
| ble with the erection of the building.
l regret that the comprehensiveness
and the Importance of the subject has re-
CURED from me a statement so lengthy. |
have written in entire good will to all.
| While it is true that my connection with
| Savannah has been short, it has been most
agreeable, and l shall ever be very grateful
| to all classes of its people for their kindly
| welcome their generous hospitality, and for
| those innumerable courteSies which make
life happy.
| am convinced that all l have
said is in advancement of their
interests, and my greatest and only
ambition is to be useful to them and the
public and efficient in the administration of
| that Justice to subserve which the new pub
| lie building is designed and intended by the
authorities of our common country.
With the expression of my warm personal
esteem to each and all of you, am, gentle
man, faithfully yours, EMORY SPEER.
| To MeSsrS William Gdrrard, Fred NJ
HUI, John TdliaferrO, and others.